Antique Frog Mug Jolly Topers Prattware underglaze colours Kilnhurst ca 1860
A novelty mug or tankard with a relief moulded exterior design usually called "The Jolly Topers". It features on one side with a couple - a man and a woman, drinking wine from wine glasses, him also holding a jug, there is a barrel in the background under a fruit laden grapevines. The other side is another man also surrounded by fruit laden grapevines he is sometimes referred to as "The Miser".
Inside the mug, standing on the bottom, and apparently trying to climb out, is a realistically modelled frog. It would have been a surprise for any unsuspecting drinker who had been handed the mug when full, after drinking half of the contents, to have been greeted with the frogs face peeking from the remaining contents.
The mug has a Prattware underglaze colour decorated with yellow ground glaze on a white stoneware body. It is an attractive, amusing and collectable pottery tankard, mug or single handed drinking vessel. It would have been for beer, ale or cider and possibly from a pub or tavern.
Maximum capacity 3/4 pint when filled to the rim. There are no maker's marks as is usual with this type of ware but it was probably produced either by Rockingham or one the factories in the Yorkshire area, possibly by Kilnhurst Pottery - Rawmarsh, near Swinton in South Yorkshire, England, who made pint ale mugs with a similar moulded design. Some collectors may refer to this type of pottery as Bristol ware. Some may refer to this antique mug majolica glazed.
This frog mug dates from around 1860 and is a great item for any collector of pratt-ware glazed items or Novelty items. It is in very good antique condition, no restoration, there is some glaze crazing an a small pointed impact mark to the base which has resulted in a crack. We have a similarly decorated loving cup offered separately but shown with the mug in the last image. Height 4 inches (10 cm) Length 5 3/8 inches (13.7 cm) Width 4 inches (10.0 cm) Weight 410 grammes unpacked.
See plates 116 and 117 of page 83 of The Yorkshire Potteries by John D Griffin for similarly designed items.